Control system



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INVENTOR K- 'fl'y' ATTORNEY S p 1942- E. J. DILLMAN CONTROL SYSTEM 7 Original Filed Aug. 5, 1937'- Patented Se t. 8, i942 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CONTROL SYSTEM Earnest J. Dillman, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Detroit Lubricator Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application August 5, 1937, Serial No.

Divided and this application November s, 1939, Serial No. 303,362

6 Claims.

a control device for use in the system for controlling the apparatus.

pipe 4. In the fuel Supply line 4 there is a control device, designated in general by the numeral 5, to control delivery of fuel to the burner 3, thiscontrol device being shown and described One of the objects of my invention is to pro- 5 in detail in my copending application, Serial No. vide a new and improved control system for 83,232, filed June 3, 1936. The control device controlling the heat supplied to the heat trans- 5 includes a valve body 6 having a fuel flow pasference medium of a heating-apparatus. sage therethrough including a port that is con- Another object is to provide novel means for trolled by a valve, member I. Mounted on the controlling the delivery of fluid fuel to a burner. top of the valve body 6 there is a casing 8 into Another object is to provide a heating apwhich the stem of valve 1 projects, and the valve paratus control system for controlling burner is biased toward closed position by a spring 9 operation when the temperature of the products that is disposed in the casing 8. A second spring of combustion reaches a predetermined high 9 is provided and is adapted to move the valve temperature, so as to prevent the heating ap- I upward to open position, but the force exerted par'atus from reaching a dangerously high temby the spring 9 -to open the valve is less than perature. the force exerted by the spring 9 to close the Another object is to provide a liquid heating valve. Also, in the casing 8 there is a lever apparatus with means to decrease the heating ill through which a thermostatic power element of the liquid upon the occurrence of low liquid ll acts to overcome the spring 9 to permit the level. spring 9 to move and hold the valve I, in an Another object is to provide a new and imopenposition. The thermostatic power element proved thermostatic valve which, among other. H includes an expansible or variable capacity uses, is particularly adapted for automatically chamber that may be formed by a casing l2 stopping flow of fuel to a burner at a predeand a. metallic bellows (not shown) within the termined temperature. casing I! which may be externally mounted on The invention consists in the improved system and secured to the other casing 8 by screws, or and the construction and combination of parts by other suitable-means. The expansible chamcomprising the same, all as will be more fully her is connected by a tube or conduit 13 to a described hereinafter and the novelty of which bulb element II that is arranged to be heated will be particularly pointed out and distinctly by a control burner l5 which may also serve claimed. as a pilot light for lighting the main burner In the accompanyin drawing, to be taken as 3. The bellows has a movable end wall that a part of this specification, I have fully and is operatively connected to the lever l0, and the clearly illustrated my invention, in which drawexpansible chamber, conduit l3 and bulb ll proing vide a closed system that is charged with a Figure 1 is a view of a heating apparatus havsuitable temperature responsive, expansible-conme my control system; I tractible fluid, such as'aniline. So long as the Fig. 2 is a view in central cross-section of an pilot or control burner l5 remains lighted, the improved thermostatic control device of my sys- 40 expansion of the thermostatic fluid will be such tem; that it'will hold the valve 1 open against the Fig. 3 is an end view of the control device of action of the spring 9, but when the pilot light Fig. 2 taken along the line and in the direction is extinguished, the thermostatic fluid will cool, of the arrows 3-3 of Fig. 2, and with accompanying contraction, which will per- Fig. 4 is a view shown in cross-section of t the sp 9 to seat the valve land thus the device of Fig. 2 and taken along the line stop flow of fuel to the main burner 3. and in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fuel is d e ed to t e control burner Referring to the drawing by characters of refrou h a conduit or p p 6, and a t perature erence the numeral l designates in general a responsive control device I1 is provided to stop heating apparatus which, in the broader aspe t delivery of fuel to the control burner l5 when of my invention, may be either a liquid heating the te pe atu e o e na e l reaches a p means or a furnace having an outlet flue or determined hi h p a ce control destack 2 for the products of combustion, and vice ll includes a hollow casing l8 having a top having a fluid fuel burner 3 connected to a wall l9, bottom wall .20,- side walls 2|, 22, a front source of supp y of fuel by' a supply -lineoi' wall 23, and'a rear wall. The front wall 23 is preferably formed by a removable closure member or plate-like cover that may be held in place by screws 25, or by other suitable .means. The casing bottom wall 23 preferably has an upwardly directed, offset wall portion 26 within the casing, and the offset wall portion 26 preferably joins with the casing rear and side walls 24 and 2| respectively. The offset wall portion 26 has therein a valve chamber 21 that may be formed by a vertically extending, bored recess, and leading into the valve chamber 21 through the casing bottom wall 23 there is an inlet passage or bore 23 that may be connected to a source of supply of fluid fuel by a conduit or pipe 23, Fig. 1. The bored recess or chamber 21 preferably opens through the top of wall 26 and is closed by a tubular shaped closure member or fitting 33 that may have an end portion thereof screw-threaded into the bored recess or chamber 21. Leading out of the valve chamber 21, preferably through the casing side wall 2|, there is an outlet passage or bore 3| that is connected to the pilot burner I by the conduit l6. The inlet passage 28 preferably has a reduced bore portion 33 opening into the valve chamber 21, and this reduced bore 33 provides an upwardly facing port and seat 34 for cooperation with a'valve member 35 that is disposed in the chamber 21. The fitting 33 has a bored recess 36 extending longitudinally thereof that opens through its lower end and provides a downwardly directed, annular valve seat 31 spaced from and opposed to the other valve seat 34. The valve member 35 is provided with oppositely disposed seating surfaces or faces 33 and 33 for cooperation with the valve seats 34 and 31 respectively, these valve faces preferably being conical in form, as shown. The valve member 35 preferably hasa stem portion 43 rigid therewith, extending upwardly and longitudinally through the fitting 33, and intermediate its ends the fitting has an internal transverse wall 4| provided with an aperture therethrough for slidably receiving the stem to guide the valve member 35. When the valve member 35 is away from its lower seat 34, as shown in Fig. 4, to permit fiow from the inlet 28 to the outlet 3|, the valve member seats on its upper seat 31. This prevents fiow of gaseous fuel into the interior of the fitting 33 which would otherwise escape into the casing and to atmosphere and be wasted.

A rod-like plunger member 43 is provided to move the valve member 35, and has a lower end portion slidably received and guided in a bored recess 44 in the upper end of the fitting or guide member 33 above the transverse wall 4| thereof. The plunger member 43 projects externally of the casing l3 through an aperture in a closure plug 46 that closes an opening in the casing "top'wall'i3. Preferably the plunger member 43 is provided with a chamber 41 therein that may be a bored recess extending longitudinally of the plunger member to receive the upper end of the valve stem 43 which preferably has an abutment or head 43 having a sliding fit with the wall of the chamber or bore 41. Ad-

.iacent its lower end the chamber 41 has a transverse wall 43 provided with a centrally disposed aperture therethrough to slidably receive and guide the valve stem 43. Surrounding the valve stem 43, within the chamber 41 of plunger member 43, there is a helical coil spring 53 that pro-' vides a lost motion connection between the plunger 43 and the valve member 35. The spring 53 has one end thereof abutting the lower wall upper end abutting the underside of the valve stem head 43. Surrounding the plunger member 43' there is-a helical coil spring 5| having one 'end abutting an extemaLupwardly facing shoulder of the plunger 43 and having its other or upper end abutting the closure plug 46. The spring 5| acts to move the plunger 43, and the valve 35 carried thereby, downwardly and is adapted to hold the valve tightly on its lower seat 34 to stop delivery of fuel to the control burner l5.

Projecting from the casing rear wall 24 there is preferably a tubular casing 54 that may ,have one end fitting and secured in a bore of an external boss 55 of the casing rear wall 24. Disposed in the casing 54, adjacent its outer end, there is a temperature responsive element", preferably a helical coil of binetal. Secured in and to the casing 54, intermediate its ends, there is a tubular member 51 to which one end of the bi-metal coil 56 may be secured or anchored, such as by rivets 53. The other end of the bi-metal coil 56 is secured to a rotatable shaft 53 that extends longitudinally through the tubular casing .54 and projects into the casing |3. Journaled on the shaft 53 in casing l3 there is a latch member 63 provided to releasably hold the plunger memand the casing front wall or cover 23, there is arm 62 that operatively connects the shaft 53 and latch 63. Rigidly secured to the latch member 63 there is an abutment member 63 in the form of a pin that extends longitudinally of the shaft 53 and is arranged to engage an adjustable abutment member 63 carried by the arm 62. The adjustable abutment member 63 may be a screw, and the abutment pin 63 may be arranged to engage the head of the screw, as shown in Fig. 3. The abutment pin 63 is held in engagement with the head of the screw 63 by a coil spring 64 that may be wound around the shaft 53 between the arm 62 and the latch member 63. The spring 64 has one end, as at 65, bearing against the pin 63 and has its other end, as at 66, bearing against the arm 62. The spring 64 is under tension urging the loosely journaled latch member 63 in a direction such that the pin 63 is held in engagement with the abutment member or screw 63 of the arm 62, and the spring 64 also acts to hold the latch member under its catch or shoulder 6|. To the outer end of the arm 62 there is secured one end of a helical coil spring 61, the other end of which spring may be 43 of the plunger member 43 and has its othe 01' secured to the casing l3. The spring 61 is under tension acting to rotate arm 62 in a direction'to move the latch member 63 out of engagement with the plunger 43. As shown in Fig. l, the control device I1 is arranged with its tubular casing 54 projecting into the furnace stack 2 so that the thermostatic element 56 will be responsive to the temperature of the flue gases or products of combustion, and preferably the element 56 is located in thestack just above the top wall of the furnace l.

The operation of the herein described heating apparatus control system is as follows: To start the system in operation the plunger member-I48 is manually raised or pulled upward to the position shown in Fig. 4, in which position it is releasably held by the latchmember 44. On raising the plunger 48 to'a predetermined position v the latch member 80, under the action of spring 44, moves into holding relation with the plunger, the upper end of the latch member positioning under the shoulder 6| of the plunger. Raising of the plunger 48 raises or lifts the valve member 85 upward away from its seat 34 thus permitting flow of fuel through the valve port. The valve member 35, plunger 43 and latch member 60 are arranged such that on opening of the valve 35. after the valve engages its upper seat 31, additional upward movement of the plunger 43 is requiredto permit the latch member 80 to position under the plunger shoulder 8|. This additional movement compresses the spring 50, storing a force therein that urges and hglds the valve member 35 tightly against its upper seat also as to prevent leakage of fuel into the casing l8. Also, raising of the. plunger 43 compresses and stores a downwardly directed force in the spring which acts to move the plunger 43 and the valve member 35 downward. With valve port 34 open, fuel now flows to the control or pilot burner l5 and is ignited and heats the bulb element l4 of the thermostatic power element H. When the power element bulb I4 is heated to a predetermined temperature, the power element ll will overcome the spring 9 which will permit the spring 9 to move the valve 1 and hold it in anopen position to permit flow of gas to the main burner 3, where it will be ignited by the burner l5. If the temperature of the flue gases or products of combustion passing up the stack 2 reaches a predetermined high temperature, the bi-metal coil 56 will act to rotate shaft 59 and arm 62 in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 3, or will no longer oppose rotation of the shaft 59, with the result that spring 61, acting through the arm 62, will move latch member 60 out of engagement with theplunger 43. The plunger 43 will then descend by its weight, aided by the force of spring 5 l, and the inner or upper end wall of the plunger chamber 41 will engage the head 48 of valve stem till and through this positive connection move the valve member 35 downward to its seat 34 to stop delivery of fuel to the control burner 15A After the control burner l5 has been extinguished the force exerted by the thermostatic power element decreases and, when overcome by the spring 9, the main valve 1 is closed thereby stopping supply of fuel to the main burner 3. In the event that the bi-metal coil 56 ruptures or becomes disengaged from the shaft 59, or the arm 62 becomes loose on the shaft, then the spring 61 will, through rotating arm 62, move the latch member 80 to release the plunger 43 and close valve 35= which is of course a safety feature of the device.

In heating apparatuses of the type having a boiler for heating a liquid heating medium, such as water, the device ll may be set to operate to control the heating means to decrease heat input to the water at a temperature corresponding to a low water level in the boiler. As is well known, when the water level in a boiler decreases, the temperature of the flue gases increase correspondingly. If the level of the water in the boiler of a heating apparatus employing my device ll decreases to a predetermined low level, resultant increase in temperature of the flue gases will cause the device H to extinguish the main burner ter level due to the heating means Thus, in

This application is' a division of my copending 4 application, Serial No. 157,584, illed August 5, 1937, for Control systems, now Patent No.23),- 763, issued April 4, 1941.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a heating apparatus, a container for liqul to be heated, a fluid fuel'burner, a valve controlling the supply of fuel to said burner, thermostatic means responsive to the temperature of the combustion gases of said burner leaving the apparatus, valve means mechanically actuated by saidthermostatic means. said thermostatic means being so adjusted relative to the gas temperatures affecting it that it is operable at a combustion gas temperature corresponding to a predetermined low llquidlevel in said container to cause said valve to move to closed position.

2. In a heating apparatus, a container for liquid to be heated, a fluid fuel burner, a valve controlling the supply oi fuel to said burner, thermostatic means responsive to the temperature of the combustion gases of said burner leaving the apparatus, valve means mechanically actuated by said thermostatic means, said thermostatic means acting at a combustion gas temperature corresponding to a predetermined low' liquid level in said container to release said valve, and means urging said valve means toward closed position.

3. In a heating apparatus, a container for liquid to be heated, a fluid fuel burner for heating the apparatus, said last-named means being so adjusted as to its operating temperature that said thermostatic means acts at a predetermined temperature corresponding to a predetermined low liquid level in said container to release said second-named valve thereby to decrease the supply of fuel to said second-named burner. v

4. A safety system for limiting the maximum temperature of a heat generating means comprising a heating apparatus containing a combustion chamber having a stack for .the discharge of combustion products and having a fluid fuel burner, a second burner, a thermostatically operated valve to control flow of fuel to said firstnamed burner and responsive to the temperature of said second-named burner, said valve being held in open position so long as said secondnamed burner remains lighted, a control valve to control flow of fuel to said second-named burner,

, releasable means holding said control valve in an open position, thermostatic means operable at a predetermined high temperature to move said holding means out of holding relation with said control valve, said thermostatic means being po- 3, thereby preventing further decrease in the wasitioh to stop flow offuel to said second-named burner so that said first-named valvewill stop flow to said first-named burner promptly upon excessive increase in the temperature of and which might damage said apparatus.

5. In a heating apparatus having a combustion chamber with a stack leading directly therefrom, a container for liquid to be heated and positioned in the combustion chamber, a main fuel'burner for supplying heat to said chamber thereby to heat the liquid in said container, a main valve controlling the supply of fuel to said main burner, a thermostatic means operable when heated to a predetermined temperature to permit said main valve to be in an open position and operable below said predetermined temperature to hold said main valve in a closed position, a second burner operable to heat said thermostatic means to said predetermined temperature, a control valve carried by the stack adjacent the outlet of said chamber thereinto and operable to control the flow of fuel to said second burner, thermostatic means positioned within said stack adjacent said outlet and mechanically connected to and holding said control valve in an open position, said lasthigh temperature of the combustion gases entering said stack corresponding to a predetermined low liquid level in said container to release said control valve, and means operable upon release of said control valve by said last-named thermostatic means to move said control valve to closed position.

.named thermostatic means being operable upon 6. In a heating apparatus having a combustion chamber with a stack leading directly therefrom, a container for liquid to be heated and positioned in the combustion chamber, a main fuel burner for supplying heat to said chamber thereby to heat the liquid in said container, said main burner when operating having a substantially constant rate of heat output, a main valve controlling the supply of fuel to said main burner, thermostatic means operable when heated to a predetermined temperature to permit said main valve to be in an open position and operable below said predetermined temperature to hold said main valve in a closed position,'a second burner operable to heat said thermostatic means to said predetermined temperature, a control valve carried by the stack adjacent the outlet of said chamber thereinto and operable to control the flow of fuel to said second burner, releasable means holding said control valve in an open position, thermostatic means positioned within said stack adjacent said outlet and mechanically connected to said holding means, said last-named thermostatic means being operable upon high temperature of the combustion gases entering said stack corresponding to a predetermined low liquid level in said container to release said holding means, and means operable upon release of said holding means by said last-named thermostatic means to move said control valve to closed position.

EARNEST J. DI LLMAN. 

